MEGHNA HB

To have the good fortune to be an active participant in an epoch-making event like the liberation of Bangladesh is an honour and privilege not shared by many. The good fortune to survive and live to record and tell the tale is the privilege of only a minuscule minority. This work comes from the desk of one such participant who saw it unfolding in front of his own eyes. Decorated for his gallantry, the author was one of the Company Commanders of 4 GUARDS (1 RAJPUT) that was tasked to cross the mighty Meghna River and charge towards Dacca. The author had the privilege of flying in the very first helicopter that crossed Meghna on the fateful evening of 09 December 1971. This is the first-hand story of one of the most audacious operations undertaken in the history of military aviation. The success of this very operation enabled the Indian Army to achieve that, incidentally, had not been planned in the first place. This is a treasure trove of some very rare and unique first-hand accounts from the senior-most officer in the Corps area of operations to the cutting edge subunit commanders. There is no parallel work of this nature in existence as on date.